Winnipeg Retail

[esquire]

^ There has been so much new retail in this city over the past 15 years that eventually you run out of willing tenants. There are only so many home improvement stores, cell phone shops and women's plus-size boutiques that a city of this population can support. Even successful projects like the power centres clustered at Kenaston and McGillivray have taken quite a while to build out.

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ There has been so much new retail in this city over the past 15 years that eventually you run out of willing tenants. There are only so many home improvement stores, cell phone shops and women's plus-size boutiques that a city of this population can support. Even successful projects like the power centres clustered at Kenaston and McGillivray have taken quite a while to build out.

I'm sorry for being a negative bastard but most of the national and international retail goes to the suburbs rather than downtown

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

I'm sorry for being a negative bastard but most of the national and international retail goes to the suburbs rather than downtown

That's because downtown is not a retail area.

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by Riverman

That's because due to crappy zoning codes downtown is way more expensive.

FTFY

The only reason large multi-national players don't come downtown is because the City artificially alters the market through zoning and their public hearing methods. Why take the risk of building/rezoning downtown when you can do it all "by the book" (and what a shitty book it is) for cheap on fringe?

[Riverman]

That is certainly not the only reason.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

FTFY

The only reason large multi-national players don't come downtown is because the City artificially alters the market through zoning and their public hearing methods. Why take the risk of building/rezoning downtown when you can do it all "by the book" (and what a shitty book it is) for cheap on fringe?

Huh? I'm not too sure where this "zoning determinism" that you subscribe to comes from, but I'm sure zoning is about the last thing on the minds of "large multinational players" when it comes to downtown.

What rezonings do you think they would have to do to set up downtown? Retail is a permitted use almost everywhere in the downtown, barring a few exceptions where they're conditional. And are retailers building their own stores, or, more likely, leasing space that is already available? Also, there are no parking requirements, which according to you, should be a huge advantage to retailers looking to set up shop downtown. I'm interested in hearing more about what you're referring to.

[cllew]

He might be talking signage requirements. If I recall properly Staples had to jump through hoops whey they come downtown to get their name on the side of Portage Place. Some city councilors think a 8 1/2 x 11 sign in the window is all you need downtown and everybody walking on the sidewalks will see it.

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by cllew

He might be talking signage requirements. If I recall properly Staples had to jump through hoops whey they come downtown to get their name on the side of Portage Place. Some city councilors think a 8 1/2 x 11 sign in the window is all you need downtown and everybody walking on the sidewalks will see it.

I was actually refering to the fact that we have 2 zoning codes (both of which are rather archaic). This fact alone is enough to prove that the City is attempting to skew things. Whether it is successful or not (and depending on your definition of success), or whether the externalities they create are worth it or not is another story.

[viperred88]

Does anybody know if anything is replacing the 'Hull Bible Bookstore' on Graham avenue?

[cllew]

Originally Posted by viperred88

Does anybody know if anything is replacing the 'Hull Bible Bookstore' on Graham avenue?

Nothing announced for there yet.

Head of downtown biz was saying in a news paper article that he thought that it should rent fast being that it is in the shed district and 1 block away from the convention center. He was thinking that it would probably be some sort of restaurant / lounge.

But who knows, maybe the Ballet needs more space for its residence and ballet school and will take it over?

[CoryB]

In the SHED (or on the fringes) we currently have the following sit-down restaurants:

Moxie's
The Exchange
Observation Deck
Tavern United
Shark Club
Boston Pizza
Elephant and Castle
Blaze Bistro
Ichiban
Shannon's
East India Company
Carbon's
Samurai
Ruby's
Milestone's (announced)
Chino Libre (announced)

With the vacant Mother Tuckers, the vacant spot next to Dollarama on Portage, the former Arkadash, the former Four Play, two more spaces in the Glass House base, potentially three spaces in SoHo, a space north of SoHo in the same block, likely two spaces on the Carlton Inn site and two at SkyCity Winnipeg and one space next to Carbon's. That makes 31 possible restaurants/bars in roughly the SHED area without counting the Hull's site which I am sure will end up as a conversion too.

The question becomes at what point do we have an over saturation of the market for the pre/post game/event market?

PS: I am sure I have missed some sites too.

[rypinion]

Do you end up with an oversaturation, or do you end up with a situation where the area becomes a restaurant destination, much like the restaurants on Bannatyne are trying to accomplish?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

The question becomes at what point do we have an over saturation of the market for the pre/post game/event market?

I guess the invisible hand is doing its job... apparently it is profitable to own a restaurant in the SHED area that caters to the weekday lunch/event night crowds.

I don't mind all of the restaurants, but it would be nice to see a little more street-level retail. I'm not talking about high end shops, I mean convenience stores, shawarma shops, dollar stores, that sort of thing. The little places that at least animate the street. Downtown has a fair bit of these kinds of places, but they are quite scattered and there are very few directly on Portage... it's as though the landlords think that at any minute Portage is going to become a premier retail street right away so they have to be ready for it.

PS - CoryB, you missed the Met from your restaurant list. This helps prove my theory that the Met is practically invisible. The building still looks closed to most passerby... it's out of sight and out of mind for nearly everyone. They have a tiny sign you can barely see... I bet that an attention-getting sign that lights up would pay for itself in two months.

[Biff]

Disney Store will be a tenant in the new Polo Park expansion. Back in the Winnipeg market, formerly at St Vital.

[bomberjet]

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...259926611.html

Target fires president of Canadian operations, names US exec as replacement
By: The Canadian Press, The Associated Press
Posted: 7:03 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 12:20 PM

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Target has fired the president of its troubled Canadian operations, Tony Fisher, and is replacing him with a 15-year U.S. company veteran in a bid to address inventory issues and bring customers back into its stores.

The executive shakeup in Canada comes two weeks after the abrupt resignation of Target's CEO and Chairman Gregg Steinhafel.

The third-largest U.S. retailer announced Tuesday that Mark Schindele, 45, who was senior vice-president of merchandising operations, will now run the Canadian operation. Target's expansion into Canada last year marked its first foray outside the U.S. but it has struggled with weak sales and losses. The changes are effective immediately.

Schindele has played a key role in launching a new store format including an expanded grocery area, as well as Target Express and CityTarget in the U.S. He has also led a global team and provided senior-level oversight to Target's merchandising operations, including systems, global sourcing and product development.


Bring customers back into your stores? I don't think the customers were ever there to begin with..

[Cyro]

Winnipeg is about to get a second Habitat for Humanity recycled-building-supplies store.

A new 9,000-square-foot Habitat ReStore is scheduled to open June 1 in the former Canada Safeway store at the corner of Ellice Avenue and Wall Street.

The items will include new and used lumber, doors, windows, paint, plumbing fixtures, appliances and some furniture. But because it doesn't have an outdoor compound, the new store won't carry such things as recycled bricks and sidewalk blocks.

Frey said all the products in the store will be donated to Habitat by individuals, retailers or manufacturers. Proceeds from the sale of the items will be used to help build new homes in the community.

That included removing the existing facade, reducing the size of the building to about 13,500 square feet from 20,000 square feet, dividing the space into two units, installing new lighting and mechanical systems and constructing a new facade.

"We also knew it (the building) would lend itself better to being subdivided" if it wasn't so deep, he said.

He said the second unit is about 4,300 square feet in size, and "we're working with someone (a prospective tenant) on it right now," he added.


Article/ Above continues after the 111 Lombard Heritage Restoration/Conversion - Mid Page
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opi...259898441.html

[Chrisforpm]

Originally Posted by Biff

Disney Store will be a tenant in the new Polo Park expansion. Back in the Winnipeg market, formerly at St Vital.

Have there been any other announcements about what is going into the polo park expansion?

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Chrisforpm

Have there been any other announcements about what is going into the polo park expansion?

There was one other announcement which I can't find but it is a new to Winnipeg chain. The bulk of the stores are still unannounced although it seems there will not be another single, large foot print store like H&M.

It is also possible that some of the existing stores may be relocating to the new section.

[trebor204]

Originally Posted by CoryB

There was one other announcement which I can't find but it is a new to Winnipeg chain. The bulk of the stores are still unannounced although it seems there will not be another single, large foot print store like H&M.

It is also possible that some of the existing stores may be relocating to the new section.

H&M will be the anchor at the mall's centre and the new tenants -- Anthropologie, a Georgia-based retailer of women's clothing and accessories, home furnishings, gifts and decor, is the only one to have been confirmed -- will have a heavy emphasis on U.S. retailers that will be new to Winnipeg.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...257282621.html

I heard rumors of Microsoft Store.
I would like to see Lego Store

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by trebor204

I heard rumors of Microsoft Store.

That would make sense however on lists I have seen of their planned openings Winnipeg is not on their radar yet, neither is Calgary which would likely be a higher priority.

White House, Black Market and Chico seem like strong contenders best on their Canadian expansion. Also high of the list of candidates would obviously be any chain that has a shop in St Vital that is not in Polo Park. St Vital has been getting more aggressive on getting those "first to market" stores which always used to find a home at Polo Park.